OSHKOSH - From experimental aviation to sporting events and a national political convention on the horizon, Wisconsin tourism is booming.

The state's tourism industry created $21.6 billion in economic impact last year, up $1 billion from 2017, Deputy Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers said Monday morning during a visit to the Experimental Aircraft Association Aviation Museum, kicking off National Travel and Tourism Week, May 5-11.

Tourism directly supports more than 199,000 jobs in the state, Sayers said. Around 112 million people visited Wisconsin in 2018, an increase of 2 million people from 2017.

"We also want to mention that the national average growth rate for tourism across the country was 1.9%, and that exactly matches where we are in Wisconsin. Growth is good, but I feel like we can do better than average," Sayers said.

EAA's annual AirVenture fly-in convention in Oshkosh is part of the reason why Wisconsin sees such high tourism numbers, she said.

Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal includes $5.1 million for tourism marketing to advertise all the things Wisconsin has to offer such as EAA and outdoor recreation, Sayers said. A deeper investment would help Wisconsin tourism grow above the national average, she said.

Evers also proposed an Office of Outdoor Recreation in his budget to booster outdoor tourism in the state. This would help spotlight all the outdoors activities such as hunting, fishing and hiking in the state, Sayers said.

"Wisconsin's tourism industry plays a critically important role in our state's economy," Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement. "Investing in tourism means investing in Wisconsin. When we invest in protecting our state's natural resources and promoting our state's attractions and events, we ensure that economic development is a 72-county strategy in Wisconsin."

Wisconsin will host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and Ryder Cup, which means all eyes will be on Wisconsin, Sayers said. It's an opportunity to show off the state and all it has to offer, she said.

Tourism also generated $1.6 billion in state and local revenue and $1.2 billion in federal taxes, which saved Wisconsinites $680 per household in taxes, Sayers said.

A study EAA conducted last year about the economic impact of AirVenture found the impact in a five-county radius in northeast Wisconsin was $170 million, said Amy Albright, executive director of the Oshkosh Convention & Visitor's Bureau. This figure doesn't include other EAA events, such as Hops & Props, she said.

"That $170 million is a bigger economic impact than an entire season of the Green Bay Packers season," Albright said.

Contact Lydia Slattery at 920-426-6710 or lslattery@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @lydiaslattery.